Guardian of the Patriots: Clark Rose and the Mission for America 250
Guided by heritage and heart, Franklin, Tennessee’s own Clark Rose leads The Patriot Project, a mission to find and mark Williamson County’s Revolutionary War Patriots, ensuring their sacrifice is remembered with dignity by America’s 250th birthday. What began as one man’s search for the past has become a shared journey of faith, friendship, and purpose, showing how beautiful things can happen when a community makes room for everyone at the table.
Clark Rose (center right) alongside members of the Andrew Crockett Sons of the American Revolution and descendants of his fifth great Grandfather Andrew Goff after his Patriot Grave marking ceremony. Ironically, 13 descendants attended, one for every colony.
The Spark at Andrew Goff’s Grave
On a golden May morning in 2024, sunlight streamed through Tennessee cedars and spilled across the quiet grave of Revolutionary War Patriot Andrew Goff. The air trembled with the crack of muskets, the flutter of flags, and the soft murmur of prayers for a man who had fought for the nation’s first breath of freedom nearly two and a half centuries before. The ceremony was organized by the Williamson County, Tennessee Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, a heritage group that honors those who fought in the Revolutionary War. Among those standing in reverent silence was Clark Rose, Goff’s fifth great-grandson, there to honor his forefather. Clark had recently discovered twenty surviving letters written by Patriot Goff, their faded words filled with faith, endurance, and hope for a young country. Reading them for the first time moved him deeply, and when he learned that his ancestor’s grave had long been unmarked, he located the site and purchased a headstone to ensure that his Patriot would never again be forgotten.
Members of the Tennessee State Guard of the Sons of the American Revolution at Patriot Andrew Goff’s Grave Marking Ceremony in 2024.
As the ceremony unfolded beneath the bright Tennessee sky, muskets fired in salute and sunlight fell like a benediction across the new stone. Only through serendipity, thirteen descendants of Andrew Goff had gathered that morning to honor him, one for every original colony of early America. Clark stood among them, humbled by the moment, unaware that it would change the course of his life. As he gazed at the newly marked grave and the flags rippling in the wind, a quiet thought stirred within him: how many other Patriots might lie in Williamson County, their names lost to time? That question became the spark that set everything in motion, the beginning of what would one day be known as The Patriot Project.
Patriot Andrew Goff
To understand the meaning of that day, one must first know who Andrew Goff was. He was a young Virginian who answered the call for freedom and fought bravely at the Battle of Point Pleasant and later at Kings Mountain, the fierce clash Thomas Jefferson called “the turn of the tide of success” in the American Revolution. When the war was over, he and his wife Gracey set out with their ten children on a long and difficult journey through the wilderness, traveling more than 300 miles to what would become Williamson County, Tennessee. There, along the banks of the Big Harpeth River, they built a cabin, cleared the land, and helped carve a new life from the frontier in the young nation he had helped to win.
More than two centuries later, his name had faded from memory until Clark Rose discovered the letters he had written and brought new life to his story. Standing before the newly marked grave of his fifth great-grandfather, knowing the courage and endurance that defined Goff’s life, Clark felt something shift within him. He could not have known that this single act of remembrance would change the course of his own life, leading him into a world of friendship, gratitude, and shared purpose. Through the kindness of others and the unity of a community he had only just begun to discover, Clark’s simple wish to honor one ancestor became a heartfelt mission—to find and preserve the resting places of every forgotten Patriot who helped shape his home in Williamson County, Tennessee and his country. Honoring his own fifth great grandfather was the beginning of what Clark would call The Patriot Project.
The Making of a Patriot’s Grandson
Clark’s story began far from the bustle of Franklin. He grew up in Hardin County, Tennessee, on his grandfather’s farm, where life was rooted in work, family, and tradition. “I came from a very patriotic family,” Clark says. “My grandfather was in World War II. His father was in World War I. Many of my uncles served in the military. I also have Civil War ancestors on both sides, Union and Confederate.” With a laugh, he adds, “I guess they cancel each other out!”
From the Williamson County Public Library: “Clark Rose submitted and proved his Pioneer Family application honoring his ancestor, Andrew Goff (1754-1831). It took many sources to piece together his family connections from generation to generation. Andrew Goff was one of the first settlers in the Harpeth Valley area of Williamson County and an American Revolutionary War veteran. He participated in the Battle of Kings Mountain and for his service received 640 acres of land from North Carolina on the waters of the Big Harpeth River. Clark is the first applicant for Andrew Goff.”
After graduating from high school in 1991, Clark moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. Later, he studied pharmacy in Birmingham before moving with his wife, Christie, a Nashville native, to Franklin in 2007.
For years, Clark didn’t feel a personal link to Williamson County history. That changed when his mother, Brenda Collie Rose, shared a book published by the Hardin County Historical Society. In its pages, he found a section about a man named Andrew Goff—a Revolutionary War soldier he had never heard of, who turned out to be his fifth great-grandfather.
“All of a sudden I became fascinated,” Clark remembers. “It was my first time hearing that one of my ancestors was a Revolutionary War veteran and one of the very first settlers of Williamson County. I had been living here for eighteen years and never knew I had that connection. I immediately wanted to know more about him.”
Brenda Collie Rose, Clark’s Mom (right) with cousin Sandy at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, Virginia were given a rare opportunity to read the letters of their ancestor Patriot Andrew Goff. Clark says, “As one of the first settlers of Williamson County, Tennessee, his letters provide valuable insight into what life was like in this part of the state in the early days. In this letter, we learn that the economy was beginning to improve in 1825 after lagging in the earlier years.”
Above, Patriot Andrew Goff’s letter written in 1828, held in the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, Virginia
He reached out to his local chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, a national lineage society of descendants of Revolutionary soldiers. “They were so nice and offered to help me with the genealogy. I was such a newbie. I needed help.”
Members of Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with SAR Tennessee State Color Guard
With the guidance of SAR member and chapter registrar Blake Brock, and later genealogist Deborah Peercy, Clark began piecing together his line. Deborah uncovered the missing proof, and Clark remembers the moment as overwhelming. “When I saw the document that had my ancestor’s name on it, I had tears in my eyes. It was a powerful moment to know the line was correct. I was overwhelmed at the kindness all these people had to help me like this.”
Above, the proof Clark needed to prove his lineage. “Here is a page from a Bible record from 1802 of the Andrew Goff family. He was one of the first settlers of Williamson County in 1798 and a Revolutionary war veteran. This was found by one of his descendants in Hardin County where I grew up. Thankfully, it was scanned at the Williamson County archives and I was able to prove my lineage through his daughter Sally, named in the bottom right corner.” —Clark Rose
That single discovery changed everything. What began as one man’s curiosity about his ancestor soon became a mission to preserve the memory of many. Clark’s search for Andrew Goff had opened a door to history and to friendship. The same people who helped him trace his lineage continued to encourage him as he learned more about the Patriots buried across Williamson County. What started with a single headstone and a handful of letters would soon become something much larger, a growing effort to honor every forgotten Revolutionary War soldier resting in Williamson County, Tennessee soil.
“The Battle of King’s Mountain,” c.1859, by Alonzo Chappel, depicting the Patriot victory over Loyalist forces in 1780.
Joining the Sons of the American Revolution
Clark Rose began his journey with the Sons of the American Revolution in September 2023, hoping only to prove his ancestral line to Patriot Andrew Goff. SAR member Blake Brock met him at the state archives in Nashville to help gather the necessary genealogy and documents. What began as a search for proof soon became something deeper as Clark met the men of the Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Chapter, patriotic and history-loving gentlemen who immediately made him feel welcome. Clark explained,“ At first, I began the process only to prove my Andrew Goff line and needed their help to do it. But after meeting the gentlemen of our chapter and attending the meetings, I quickly realized this was something I wanted to belong to.”
These men went out of their way to help Clark find information about his patriot, and were so welcoming. Even before his application was approved, the chapter President at the time, John Walker, invited him to their Christmas luncheon; where he met Grave Committee Chairman Steve Millhollin. When Clark mentioned his hope for a ceremony to honor his Patriot, Steve smiled and said, “We can make that happen.” Clark was touched by the warmth and inclusion shown to him as a newcomer. His application was accepted twelve weeks later, and he was officially inducted in March 2024. Just two months after joining, in May, the grave of his ancestor Andrew Goff was honored in a moving ceremony that marked the beginning of a journey that has filled his life with friendship, pride, and purpose.
After becoming a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Clark was able to recruit two more descendants of his Patriot. Soon, Clark’s Uncle Steve Collie and nephew J.B. Bragg joined, making membership and honoring their Patriot a family tradition.
Williamson County Revolutionary Patriot Edward Swanson’s headstone was photographed by Old Glory DAR member Leonora Clifford, broken in half and buried. Clark saw Leonora’s post on a local history sharing Facebook page, leading him to add Swanson to his Patriot list.
A County of Forgotten Heroes
Williamson County is a place layered with history. Its soil holds Civil War soldiers, but long before Franklin was a town, Revolutionary War veterans had come here. They farmed, built churches, raised families, and when they died, were buried in cemeteries that ranged from churchyards to simple family plots.
For years, the accepted number of documented Patriot graves in the county was thirty-six. Clark’s research revealed otherwise. By 2024, he had confirmed fifty-one. It took lots of organization on his part, but most of all, collaboration with others to make his list. It would be an understatement not to emphasize the kindness of so many throughout this journey Clark has experienced. For instance, after realizing Clark was interested in identifying the graves of lost patriots from Williamson County, local Lieutenant Andrew Crockett SAR member Trent Johnson passed on his own list and work he’d done previously in compiling it. He wrote an email to Clark, sending him files on local patriots, and offering kind words of encouragement. Johnson’s efforts, the help and kindness of all those with the SAR, DAR, Williamson County Archives and library, and so many other kind individuals who went out of their way to help Clark—made this new endeavor not only possible, but a wonderful experience.
Clark was able to come to the number 51, as to how many Revolutionary Patriot Graves he was able to identify and mark within Williamson County. But, there have been estimates in the past that claimed there could be as many as 200.
How Clark reached 51
As his mission took shape, Clark compiled a master list of Patriots believed to be buried in the county. He drew from early work by historian Susie Gentry, founder of the Old Glory Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Franklin, Tennessee. Gentry and the DAR placed a marble tablet at the Williamson County Courthouse more than 100 years ago. Clark compared those names with DAR and SAR records, local archives, and modern sources like Find a Grave. He verified military service using pension files, muster rolls, and family documentation. To be included on his final list, a Patriot also had to have a grave that Clark or a trusted individual had personally located, visited, and confirmed through photographs or on-site inspection. Each of the 51 patriots on the final list has a headstone.
The result is a carefully curated list of fifty-one confirmed Patriots—men whose courage helped shape the nation and whose resting places still lie within Williamson County’s rolling fields, churchyards, and hidden cemeteries. Their names, which will appear below, tell the story of the American Revolution through the lives of the county’s earliest settlers and soldiers, each one a chapter in the nation’s beginning and a legacy now brought back into the light. Clark has graciously given Lovely Franklin exclusive permission to publish his list of confirmed Patriots for the first time. He continues to visit new sites and confirm additional graves, with plans to complete his research and final list by the end of 2025. More will be added to this list as time goes by and more work is done:
51 Patriot graves in Williamson County with headstones
1. Frederick Davis
2. Joshua Hadley
3. Francis Hardgrave
4. John Johnston
5. William Ogilvie
6. Anthony Sharpe
7. Charles Allen
8. John Atkinson
9. Minos Cannon
10. Thomas Cox
11. John Dabney
12. Guilford Dudley
13. Andrew Goff
14. Green Hill
15. George Hulme
16. David Johnston
17. Roger Mallory
18. Samuel McCutchan
19. William McEwen
20. Hardy Murfree
21. George Neely
22. John Rodgers
23. William Sparkman
24. Richard Caldwell Vernon
25. Andrew Crockett
26. John Andrews
27. Mark Andrews
28. Benjamin Chapman
29. George Andrews
30. Laban Hartley
31. Samuel Henderson
32. Joseph Lemaster
33. William Marshall
34. John Motheral
35. Robert Ozburn
36. Robert Buchanan
37. Thomas Prowell
38. Michael Robinson
39. William Rucker
40. John Secrest
41. James Turner
42. Jason Wilson
43. Andrew Spratt
44. Thomas Bradley
45. Francis Giddens
46. Peter Leslie
47. Thomas Perkins
48. George Reynolds
49. David Squier
50. Edward Swanson
51. William Watkins
The above list of Revolutionary war Patriots was compiled by Clark Allen Rose, II and updated September 25, 2025. A hard copy of this document is on file at the Williamson County archives in downtown Franklin, TN.
The Birth of the Patriot Project
Clark never set out to launch a countywide effort. At first, his goal was simple, to find his own Patriot, Andrew Goff’s gravesite and prove his connection to him. As time passed his goal changed: mark graves of Patriots for future ceremonies as part of his work with the Sons of the American Revolution. Clark joined the SAR and now serves not only as his chapter’s Vice President but also on the grave-marking committee for new Patriots. Each new member proves lineage to a Revolutionary War Patriot; Clark’s is his fifth great-grandfather, Andrew Goff.
Clark speaks of his mission: “I eventually began looking for Patriot graves for future grave marking ceremonies. Then, I started cleaning them and decided to make a list. It grew from there.”
“The goal and mission of Clark’s work is to document every Patriot grave, clean every headstone, repair the ones that are broken, mark those that are unmarked, update the records online, and hold ceremonies for these Patriots.”
His SAR chapter has held twenty-one Patriot grave ceremonies in Williamson County and two in other counties over the past twenty years. Clark hopes the next twenty years will see the remaining Patriots honored. That is his goal.
Hunting the Lost Graves
Finding graves is not simple, and is very much like a treasure hunt. It requires research, patience, and diplomacy. Clark studies pension records, cemetery indexes, and deeds written in fading ink. He traces maps at the archives and matches them to GPS coordinates.
“If the information on Find A Grave is accurate and has GPS, you just click on it and go,” Clark explains. “If it is on private property, I usually mail a letter and wait for a response. I have knocked on a few doors, but I don’t prefer that method. Oftentimes, it takes people skills to talk to the homeowners.”
One day, Clark followed a lead to a farm gate and was soon greeted by a friendly farmer on an ATV. After hearing what Clark was looking for, the man grinned and told him to hop in. They took off across the fields, bouncing over ruts and flying through open pasture until they reached the far edge of the property. The cemetery, the farmer said, was just beyond the fence on his neighbor’s land. Clark hesitated for a moment, wondering what might happen if the neighbor caught them. The farmer just laughed and said, “If he catches us, we will put him in one of these graves over here.” Clark couldn’t help but laugh as they climbed the fence together. What began as a wild ride through the Tennessee countryside ended in discovery and another forgotten Patriot’s resting place brought back to light.
Another time, on a beautiful farm with no mailbox and a long drive, Clark parked by a barn despite his wife Christie’s protests. “She was having a fit because she didn’t want me trespassing,” Clark laughs. He set off across a cow pasture, GPS in hand, when a calf came bounding toward him. “I thought that little calf was going to run me over. Just as he got right up to me, I yelled STOP. He looked startled and stopped. Then he followed me all the way back to the car. This little calf reminded me of Norman from the movie City Slickers.” Clark clipped a note to the farm fence, said a prayer, and left. To his amazement, the very next day the property owner emailed him. “I just knew that note was going to fall off and never be seen again,” Clark recalled. Instead, that little note opened the door to the discovery of another Patriot’s grave.
Members of the Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Sons of the American Revolution chapter pictured here on July 4th, 2025. The chapter annually reads the “Declaration of Independence” during “Franklin on the Fourth” in downtown Franklin, Tennessee
Cleaning Stones and Healing the Past
Locating a grave is only the beginning. Many stones are darkened or crumbling. Many need cleaning and others need repair. Clark has learned preservation by following Jonathan Appel of Atlas Preservation, “the best in the nation.” Appel’s videos on YouTube have guided Clark’s work.
Above, Clark was able to locate Patriot Edward Swanson’s headstone after seeing this photo taken by DAR member Leo Clifford. He was able to restore, put the two pieces back together, and clean it.
Back left headstone is one placed in years past, most likely by descendants who couldn’t find Patriot Edward Swanson’s original headstone. The broken in half original headstone was leaning against a rotten tree stump, buried. After Clark uncovered it, he was able to use his tools to repair.
Clark arrives with gloves, clippers, water, and a bottle of D/2 cleaning solution, the same used at Arlington National Cemetery. He kneels in the grass, brushing away moss until names long hidden reappear. “It is slow work,” he says. “But when you see a name emerge from the stains of time, it is worth every minute.”
Some stones need repair. Edward Swanson’s grave, in a backyard, had a stone broken in two. With the homeowner’s permission, Clark used epoxy to restore it. “I only attempted this one because it was a clean break and the two pieces fit together perfectly,” he says. “A more complicated repair and I would not have tried it.”
The effort completed with Patriot Edward Swanson’s headstone is nothing less than outstanding. If not for Clark’s restoration, it would have likely been lost to time. Swanson is not only a Revolutionary War Patriot but part of James Robertson’s group who made their way down the Cumberland River to settle Nashville, Tennessee. He lived at Forts Mansker and Nashborough and wed his first wife at the latter. Swanson is said to have been the first settler of Williamson County, Tennessee. His wild adventures on the frontier are detailed in “The Life and Times of Edward Swanson” by William Henry McRaven.
New Stones for Forgotten Patriots
Some Patriots never had a stone at all. For Clark, these are the most important to mark. “Once I establish that there is a Patriot buried somewhere, I try to contact the property owner and a descendant. If everyone is on board, then we can move forward with a marker.”
So it was with Andrew Spratt. His grave was unmarked until Clark located both a property owner and a descendant. With their blessing, a new stone was recently placed. Local Eagle Scout candidate Eli Stephens took on the project and recruited Boy Scout Troop 27 to help with the cemetery cleanup and installation. Because of the dedication of these young Scouts, not only was one grave cleaned, but all thirty-six gravestones located within the cemetery.
Boy Scout Troop 27 out of College Grove volunteered their time to clean 36 headstones at the cemetery where Patriot Andrew Spratt is buried. Through the collaboration with Clark’s Patriot Project, Revolutionary War Patriot Spratt received a headstone.
Each marker costs about $250. Families often fund them, though Clark purchased the one for Andrew Goff himself. “That is what this project is about,” he says. “Making sure not one Patriot’s grave is lost to time.”
Clark speaks with heartfelt conviction about the uncertain future of Williamson County’s Patriot graves, his words steeped in both reverence and concern. The once-quiet hills and meadows where the first heroes of Tennessee sleep are now surrounded by the constant pulse of new development. “Yes, development is a concern,” he says. “I know of at least two Patriot graves that have been destroyed over the years—Daniel Crenshaw during the construction of Interstate 840, and Thomas Bradley which is located behind the Brentwood, Tennessee library. To Clark, each of these new headstones are not just forgotten names carved in stone but sacred reminders of sacrifice. He hopes The Patriot Project will stir others to care, that more people will keep watch over these hidden cemeteries so they might endure the storms of progress and remain honored.
The DAR Collaboration: Leonora Green Clifford and Linda Mora
Clark’s work soon connected him with others who shared his passion. While researching online, he noticed Linda Mora’s name appearing again and again on Patriot memorials through Find A Grave. Curious, he reached out and soon discovered that Linda and her fellow Daughters of the American Revolution member Leonora Green Clifford were also engaged in cleaning and caring for Patriot graves in Williamson County as part of their Historic Preservation committee work for the Old Glory Chapter of the DAR in Franklin.
“They were already doing wonderful work through the DAR,” Clark recalls. “The cleaning part of the project has really been a collaboration with them. Once we discovered what each other were doing, we decided to divide and conquer. That way, the project got completed faster.”
What began as coordination soon became friendship and a shared purpose. When Clark once told the ladies about a Patriot grave within what he thought was a tidy cemetery, they returned laughing. “Linda said it was a snake pit,” Clark remembers. “I felt so bad. But she had such a good sense of humor and said later jokingly that they enjoyed the adventure.”
“Their dedication is remarkable,” Clark says of Linda and Leonora. “We are all working toward the same goal. This is about honoring these veterans, who are not only Revolutionary War Patriots, but men who built our nation.”
Clark has gained community and friendship through his efforts, which he thought would be solitary work. Instead, it has been a fellowship. “I’ve enjoyed meeting the property owners, the DAR ladies, the history buffs,” he says. “I would have never met any of them if it were not for this project. Sounds funny to say I enjoy cleaning graves because of the people I get to meet. People don’t realize I’m not talking about the ones buried there.”
From farmers on ATVs to DAR volunteers and families who opened their gates to Clark and his fellow SAR and DAR members, Clark has found community and friendship in unexpected places.
The Courthouse Monument: A Century-Old Tribute
In downtown Franklin stands the Williamson County Courthouse, where a commemorative marble tablet carved more than a century ago lists the names of local Revolutionary War soldiers. Placed in 1910 through the efforts of historian and preservationist Susie Gentry and others through their work with the Old Glory chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, it remains a timeless tribute to the county’s founding heroes.
However, for Clark Rose, although the monument is both touching and deeply motivating, he says, “It’s not enough for the names to be on a plaque. The men themselves are still out there, scattered across the county. Their stones need to be cared for and sometimes new ones created. Their graves need to be honored and preserved.” Sixty-five Patriots are listed here, but not all have been located. Clark’s goal is to locate, care for, and mark fifty-one of those sixty-five Patriot graves which still physically exist, by the end of 2025.
The monument preserves public memory, while the Patriot Project builds upon that legacy and connects the engraved names to the very soil where the men rest, continuing the work begun by Susie Gentry and others more than a hundred years ago.
The Patriots Themselves
Clark’s project has brought individual Patriots back into focus. Highlighted here, are only a few:
PATRIOT ANDREW GOFF
Clark Rose (center right) alongside members of the Andrew Crockett SAR and descendants of his fifth great Grandfather Andrew Goff after his Patriot Grave marking ceremony. Ironically, 13 descendants attended, one for every colony.
Pictured, Col. Mark Young of the Stones River chapter Sons of the American Revolution during Patriot Andrew Goff’s grave marking ceremony.
The spark of it all. His letters still survive. Through those fading words, Patriot Andrew Goff (1754–1831) lives on. He was a Revolutionary War veteran and one of the earliest settlers in the Harpeth Valley. He fought with courage at the Battle of Kings Mountain and was later granted 640 acres on the waters of the Big Harpeth River for his service to the new nation. Centuries later, his fifth great grandson Clark Rose felt called to honor him by purchasing a new headstone to mark his resting place. A grave marking ceremony given by the Sons of the American Revolution, Andrew Crockett Chapter, honored Patriot Goff. After lengthy research and documentation, Clark became the first Pioneer Family applicant for Andrew Goff, ensuring that his bravery and legacy will be remembered for generations to come.
Cousins Reunited by History
Clark met new cousin, historian and author Russell “Chip” Hooper III (The Pathfinder Papers) through the Patriot Project and their shared fifth great-grandfather, Andrew Goff.
When Clark Rose met Chip Hooper for the first time at the McEwen cemetery where their ancestor, Patriot Andrew Goff, rests, it felt as though time itself had folded to bring them together. The two cousins had first connected after Chip saw Clark’s posts about their mutual ancestor on the Historic Williamson County Facebook page, but it wasn’t until they stood side by side among the old stones that the full weight of their shared heritage settled in. A soft breeze moved through the cedars, carrying the faint scent of earth and memory, and both men felt the presence of the past in a deeply personal way.
Chip, author of The Pathfinder Papers—a remarkable collection of transcribed documents chronicling the life of famed oceanographer Matthew Maury—was especially moved by the encounter. “That was a day I’ll always cherish,” he said. “To walk through that cemetery for the first time with my newfound cousin, surrounded by the graves of our ancestors, evoked emotions I had never before experienced. Cousin Clark is a breath of fresh air within the Franklin history sphere, and his ongoing work on his ‘Patriot Project’ is a gift to us all.”
For Clark and Chip, that day marked the beginning of a friendship as meaningful as their shared bloodline. What began as a simple visit to honor one ancestor has grown into a heartfelt adventure—one that celebrates the joy of discovery, the beauty of family history, and the sacred duty of remembering those who helped shape a nation.
PATRIOT EDWARD SWANSON
The headstone of Revolutionary War Patriot Edward Swanson, one of Williamson County’s earliest settlers, has been beautifully restored thanks to the efforts of Clark Rose. For decades, the weathered stone had been broken in two, its upper half leaning against a decaying stump, half hidden beneath moss and vines. Clark carefully recovered and cleaned the pieces, realigning and sealing the fracture so that the name of this early Patriot could once again be read with pride. The stone was reset upright on a sturdy new base, returning dignity to a grave long neglected. Today it stands straight and strong once more, its inscription catching the afternoon sun along Kittrell Road, just outside Franklin.
From the script on Swanson’s Historical marker, which sits off Columbia Pike and Kittrell Road:
“(1759 – 1840) Edward Swanson laid the foundation for a cabin one mile west prior to March 1780. This was the earliest known attempted white settlement in Williamson County. Swanson was one of eight men who came to the French Lick with James Robertson early in 1779 to plant corn in preparation for the settlement of what would later become Nashville. Marauding Indians made it impossible for Swanson to finish in his homesteading effort, and he escaped to the safety of Fort Nashbourough. Swanson barely missed death in hand to hand fighting with an Indian during the 1781 Battle of the Bluff. By 1800, he was living here where he eventually owned more than 1,000 acres. He is buried in the family cemetery near the homesite.”
PATRIOT ANDREW SPRATT
Patriot Andrew Spratt was born on December 25, 1750, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and served his state during the Revolutionary War. By 1811, he had settled in Williamson County, Tennessee, where he owned over 1,500 acres of land near Bethesda. He died in 1839 and was buried in the old Spratt family cemetery beside his wife, Jean Blythe Spratt.
A new headstone for Patriot Andrew Spratt, was installed thanks to a collaboration between Clark Rose, the SAR and Boy Scout Troop #27, out of College Grove, Tennessee.
Eli Stephens of Boy Scout Troop #27, completed his honorable Eagle Scout project to provide a grave marker for Revolutionary War Patriot Andrew Spratt.
Nearly two centuries later, his resting place was honored anew thanks to a collaboration between Boy Scout Troop 27 and Clark Rose of the Lt. Andrew Crockett Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. Together, they marked Spratt’s grave with a new SAR headstone, ensuring that his service and sacrifice for American Independence will be remembered for generations to come.
Boy Scout Troop 27, alongside SAR Vice President Clark Rose, above, worked together to restore Spratt Cemetery where Patriot Andrew Spratt is buried.
”Joyce Smith is one of my favorites that I’ve met. She is such an awesome lady. She was so thankful for the Boy Scouts and the work on the Sprott cemetery where her ancestors are buried. She came rolling up in her candy apple red Cadillac sedan that day. Talking to everyone and thanking them and sharing her family history,” —Clark describes another of the amazing friendships he’s formed while working on the Patriot Project.
PATRIOT THOMAS BRADLEY
The long-lost grave of Patriot Thomas Bradley was recently shown to Clark Rose by Kathie Greaves of the Brentwood Historic Commission, using research by the late historian Lula Fain Majors. Hidden behind the John P. Holt Brentwood, Tennessee Library, the old stones were gone, but yucca plants—once used as natural markers—revealed the site. With support from the Sons of the American Revolution and the Brentwood Historic Commission, a new headstone now honors Bradley’s service.
Born in 1766, Bradley fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse at just fifteen, helping secure America’s independence. He later settled on a 640-acre farm along the Little Harpeth River, where he lived with his wife, Margaret, until his death in 1849. His restored grave now stands as a tribute to a young soldier’s courage and the enduring power of remembrance.
A Patriot grave ceremony for Thomas Bradley took place on October 25, 2025, and was hosted by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Brentwood Historic Commission in celebration of America 250. Bradley’s new stone has been graciously paid for by his descendants.
LIEUTENAUT THOMAS HARDIN PERKINS
Thomas Hardin Perkins was a true Patriot: he served as 1st and 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Virginia Regiment during the Revolutionary War, earning him entitlement to a land grant from his service.
Sometime in the late 1790s he relocated from Virginia to the frontier lands of Williamson County, Tennessee, acquiring hundreds of river bottom acres along the Harpeth River where he built his stately residence Meeting of the Waters.
At his burial, Perkins was honored with an elaborate headstone of imposing design—large, richly inscribed, and ornamented as befitting his standing—making his monument one of the most distinguished in the Perkins family cemetery and in local historic memory.
At Meeting of the Waters, Perkins’ obelisk towers above the landscape (below), and (above) a closeup of Perkins elaborate headstone with his descendants face carved.
COLONEL HARDY MURFREE
Colonel Hardy Murfree lived and died in Franklin, Tennessee, and is the namesake of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Murfree was born on June 5, 1752, in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. He served as a Colonel in the Revolutionary War and fought with distinction at Brandywine, Monmouth, Stony Point, Kings Mountain, and other engagements.
He married Sally Brickell in 1780. Murfree acquired extensive land holdings in Middle Tennessee, where he later settled near Franklin after his wife’s death in 1807. He died in 1809 while his home was under construction, and his estate was divided among his six children by an act of the Tennessee State Legislature.
Murfree’s crypt is located off Carters Creek Pike in Franklin. The city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was named in his honor.
CAPTAIN GEORGE REYNOLDS
A mistaken record corrected, his grave reclaimed. The true resting place of Patriot George Reynolds was long misunderstood. For years, the SAR website listed him as buried in Franklin County, Tennessee; a mistake traced to an incorrect Find-a-Grave entry. Researcher Clark Rose uncovered the truth while reading Williamson County historian Louise Lynch’s “Our Valiant Men,” where he spotted a photo of Reynolds’s headstone proving it was in Williamson County. Following clues from the county burial index, Clark traced the grave to the Johnson–Reynolds–Hughes Cemetery on Blazer Road, once part of the Merry Acres Farm owned by W. M. Givens. There he found the stone inscribed, “Capt. Geo. Reynolds, Hairston’s Co. Va. Regt. Rev. War.”
Born about 1754 in Henry County, Virginia, Reynolds served as a Lieutenant in Colonel Peter Hairston’s Virginia Militia, married Susannah Lansford in 1779, and later settled along the West Harpeth River in Williamson County, where his will was probated in 1813. After confirming the location, Clark contacted the Find-a-Grave manager in Ohio, who eventually corrected the record and transferred the memorial to him—restoring Captain Reynolds to his rightful place in Williamson County’s Bingham community.
PATRIOT LABAN HARTLEY
Laban Hartley fought in the American Revolution, with his pension record confirming service at the pivotal Battle of King’s Mountain. After the war, he moved to Tennessee on a land grant and lived more than a century. Of Scottish descent, he rests beneath a striking stacked-stone grave feature beside his wife Sarah and their son Lafayette. The unique stone mound, reflecting Scottish tradition, was restored in the early 1990s after years of neglect.
Hartley is buried in the Moses Steele Cemetery on Flat Creek Road, near the Bethesda and College Grove communities of Williamson County—a site known for its concentration of Revolutionary War soldiers.
As Clark Rose shared, “This is the most interesting grave I’ve seen. The stone feature is unlike anything else in Williamson County, and knowing it honors a man who fought at King’s Mountain makes it even more meaningful.”
PATRIOT NIMROD WILLIAMS
Nimrod Williams (1751–1820) was a Revolutionary War soldier who lived in South Carolina before settling in Davidson County, Tennessee, where he died in 1820. His family burial ground, now known as the Williams Family Cemetery, rests quietly on Saddlewood Lane in Brentwood and has been preserved by descendants for more than two centuries.
On May 24, 2025, members of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution joined descendants of Williams for a grave marking ceremony honoring his service. A new granite marker was placed at the base of the stone-walled cemetery, where six-year-old Nicholas Neel, Williams’s sixth great-grandson, planted a small American flag beside it. “The marker serves as a reminder for years to come for future generations that this is a Revolutionary War patriot,” Clark explained.
Rose shared how the late Bob Pierce, a fourth great-grandson of Williams, had walked him through the cemetery while planning the event only months prior to his own passing. “Bob would be thrilled,” Rose said. “He showed me all of his ancestors and told me their stories. It was so special to tour the cemetery with Bob. It’s a memory I’ll keep forever.”
Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution is pictured above during the grave marking ceremony for Patriot Nimrod Williams on Memorial Day 2025, photo: Williamson Scene
Each grave is a story. Each stone is a voice restored.
Clark’s Patriot Book
In his quiet moments, Clark turns to what he calls his Patriot Book. Within its pages are the names, photographs, and notes of every Revolutionary War soldier he has documented in Williamson County. Each page represents hours of research and a story pulled back from the edge of being forgotten. It is part journal and part historical record, a personal archive he hopes will guide others long after his work is done.
The book reminds him daily of the shoulders upon which his work stands. It is built on generations of preservationists and local historians such as Louise Lynch, Susie Gentry, Lula Fain Majors, Rick Warwick and Virginia Bowman, whose early efforts to identify Patriot graves first gave shape to the history he continues today.
Sometimes, as he turns the worn pages of his book, Clark feels a kinship with Carrie McGavock, the “Widow of the South” who tended the Confederate dead at Carnton. “I feel like Carrie McGavock sometimes,” he admits softly, “walking around with her own book of the dead.”
Carrying the Mission to America 250
Time is the enemy. Stones topple. Cemeteries vanish. Memory fades. Clark feels the urgency. “All fifty-one documented Patriot graves in Williamson County will be cleaned by the end of 2025,” he promises.
But the work will continue. More stones need repair. More graves need markers. More ceremonies must be held. Records must be corrected. Forgotten Patriots must still be found.
With America’s 250th anniversary approaching in 2026, the Patriot Project is part of something larger. “We cannot wait,” Clark says. “We have to do this now, before more is lost.”
He often pauses at a grave when the wind stirs in the cedars and birds call overhead. Names etched long ago whisper back into the air. “Without these men,” Clark reflects, “there would be no Tennessee, no Williamson County, no Franklin. Every stone is a reminder that freedom was bought at a price.”
The Patriot Project is Clark’s gift to the county, to descendants, and to generations yet to come. “My goal is simple,” he says. “Every Revolutionary Patriot in Williamson County will be remembered, and every grave will be treated with dignity. That is the legacy I want to leave.”
A Journey of Faith and Friendship
As The Patriot Project continues to unfold, Clark Rose remains deeply grateful for the people who have walked beside him. What began as one man’s search for a single ancestor has become a fellowship of friends bound by faith, history, and love for their country. He speaks often of the generosity and kindness he has found in others, crediting the project’s success to the caring individuals who have guided, helped, and believed in the mission from the start.
Speaking towards his faith, Clark states, “I do feel like the Lord has been with me on these adventures. He is always with me, so it’s not surprising. There have been too many happy accidents that went in my favor to not think God was in it.”
In his quiet humility, Clark gives thanks not only for the discoveries and ceremonies but for the friendships and faith that have made the journey so meaningful. What began as a search for one Patriot’s grave has become a living testament to community, gratitude, and the enduring hand of God in the stories we choose to remember.
Sharing the forgotten stories of historic Franklin,
Special thanks to Clark and Christie Rose, Leonora Clifford, Linda Mora, the Old Glory DAR, the Lt. Andrew Crockett SAR, the Williamson County Archives, and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture for their invaluable contributions to this work.
Donate
To donate to the Patriot Project, contact clarkrose@me.com
References & Acknowledgments
Research and historical context for this article were drawn from the following sources:
- Lynch, Louise Gillespie. Our Valiant Men: Soldiers and Patriots of the Revolutionary War Who Lived in Williamson County, Tennessee. Franklin, TN: 1976.
- Grimes, Robert D.H. Hardin County Cousins. Hardin County Historical Society, Savannah, Tennessee, 1993.
- McRaven, William Henry. Life and Times of Edward Swanson, First Recorded Settler of Williamson County, Tennessee. 1937.
- Williamson County Archives and Museum, Franklin, Tennessee — Pioneer Family Files, Cemetery Surveys, and Revolutionary War Pension Records.
- Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond, Virginia — Goff Family Papers, containing original letters of Patriot Andrew Goff (1820–1828).
- National Park Service — Battle summaries and educational materials for Kings Mountain and Guilford Courthouse.
- American Battlefield Trust — “Kings Mountain: Facts & Summary.”
- Tennessee Encyclopedia of History & Culture — “Hardy Murfree.”
- North Carolina Encyclopedia (NCPedia) — “Hardy Murfree.”
- The Historical Marker Database (HMdb.org) — “Edward Swanson (1759–1840)” marker on Columbia Pike and Kittrell Road, Franklin, Tennessee.
- City of Brentwood Historical Commission and John P. Holt Brentwood Library — research and press materials concerning Patriot Thomas Bradley’s burial site.
- Old Glory Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (Franklin, Tennessee) — Historic Preservation Committee records and Patriot grave restoration projects.
- Lieutenant Andrew Crockett Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution — ceremony records, Patriot listings, and interviews with members.
- Williamson County Public Library, Franklin, Tennessee — local history and genealogical collections.
- Founders Online (National Archives) — Letter of Thomas Jefferson to John Campbell, November 10, 1822, referencing the Battle of Kings Mountain.
- National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — Headstone cleaning and preservation guidance.
- National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NPS) — “Best Practices for Cleaning Government-Issued Headstones.”
- Atlas Preservation (Jonathan Appell) — public instructional videos and preservation demonstrations.
- Personal interviews and correspondence with Clark Rose, Vice President of the Lt. Andrew Crockett Chapter, SAR, 2024–2025.
- City of Franklin, Williamson County Historical Society and Brentwood Historic Commissions — local coordination and public history collaboration.
